Man City's Unsung Heroes Steal the Show in Heart-Stopping Victory Over Swansea

Omar Marmoush's decisive late strike propelled Manchester City to a 3–1 triumph over Swansea, securing their place in the Carabao Cup quarterfinals.

The Citizens endured a challenging beginning in South Wales as Gonçalo Franco delivered a spectacular curled effort to give the hosts an early advantage before their jubilant supporters. However, Pep Guardiola's squad gradually found their rhythm and ultimately dominated proceedings at Swansea.com Stadium.

Strikes from Jérémy Doku, Marmoush and Rayan Cherki proved sufficient to clinch victory for a Man City team missing several key stars, notably Erling Haaland. This result maintained the Citizens' impressive 16-match undefeated run against Swansea, crushing the Welsh side's Carabao Cup aspirations.

Meanwhile, Man City advances in their pursuit of a record-breaking ninth Carabao Cup title.

Man City Player Ratings vs. Swansea (4-1-4-1)

*Ratings Provided by FotMob*

GK: James Trafford—6.8: Faced minimal pressure throughout the evening, yet delivered a vital stop to prevent Swansea from doubling their first-half advantage.

RB: Rico Lewis—7.6: Appeared anxious whenever defensive duties called. Lewis displayed greater composure when contributing to attacking phases.

CB: Abdukodir Khusanov—6.7: Delivered an underwhelming display highlighted by a dangerous back-pass that nearly handed Swansea a scoring opportunity.

CB: Nathan Aké—7.3: Enjoyed a comfortable evening as his side controlled the tempo against Swansea.

LB: Rayan Aït-Nouri—8.4: Struggled during Swansea's goal buildup but responded positively, particularly in offensive situations.

DM: Nico González—8.3: Delivered an efficient performance for the Spanish midfielder. González led in pass completion, tackles, and duels won throughout the contest.

RW: Oscar Bobb—7.3: Showed limited variation in his approach. Bobb consistently attempted to beat multiple defenders but frequently surrendered possession.

AM: Divine Mukasa—6.9: Found it difficult to influence proceedings. While Mukasa lacked creative spark, his tireless effort was commendable.

AM: Rayan Cherki—9.1: Orchestrated Man City's offensive play brilliantly. Better support from teammates could have resulted in additional goal contributions beyond his two.

LW: Jérémy Doku—8.5: Mesmerized spectators with his left-wing displays throughout. Doku posed the greatest threat and earned his goal reward.

ST: Omar Marmoush—8.0: Compensated for a subdued first half with an energetic second-half performance that delivered City's winning goal.

Subs not used: Gianluigi Donnarumma (GK), Marcus Bettinelli (GK), Matheus Nunes, Nico O'Reilly, Kalvin Phillips, Savinho.

Swansea (5-4-1)

Starting XI: Andy Fisher; Josh Key, Kaelan Casey, Cameron Burgess, Ishé Samuels-Smith, Josh Tymon; Melker Widell, Gonçalo Franco, Ethan Galbraith, Zeidane Inoussa; Adam Idah.

Subs used: Žan Vipotnik, Ronald Pereira, Jay Fulton, Manuel Benson, Liam Cullen.

Player of the Match: Rayan Cherki

Swansea 1–3 Man City—How It Unfolded at Swansea.com Stadium

Predictably, Man City began the encounter displaying composed possession play in South Wales. Guardiola's heavily rotated starting eleven controlled early proceedings but created minimal danger initially.

Franco's moment of brilliance disrupted the Citizens' rhythm. Josh Key boldly challenged and overcame Rayan Aït-Nouri before locating an unmarked Franco at the penalty area's edge. The midfielder then delivered an exquisite curled finish to give Swansea a 1–0 lead in the 12th minute.

Man City regained possession dominance, forcing the hosts into constant ball-chasing with their swift passing combinations. However, creative limitations kept the English powerhouse relatively static within Swansea's defensive third, resembling a team lacking penetration ideas against the Championship outfit.

The visitors' persistence ultimately bore fruit. Shortly after Cherki's close-range attempt struck the frame, Jérémy Doku provided Man City's equalizer. The winger utilized his pace to surge past Franco before cutting into the penalty area and unleashing a right-footed effort.

Cameron Burgess's deflection redirected the ball into the net, ensuring Guardiola's team entered halftime level.

Jérémy Doku keeps the play alive to bring Manchester City back level 💥 pic.twitter.com/3maEDSWal6

Man City emerged from the break with clear attacking intentions. The Citizens applied relentless pressure, confining Swansea to their defensive half. Despite their dominance, the decisive goal remained elusive for the visitors.

Nevertheless, the 10-time English champions' breakthrough seemed inevitable. Marmoush eventually became the Welsh hero in the 77th minute; the Egyptian striker thundered a powerful effort into the net's roof from an acute angle, beating Andy Fisher at his near post.

Omar Marmoush fires Manchester City into the lead with a stunning strike 🔥 pic.twitter.com/VD3VT0axC8

This goal, marking Marmoush's maiden strike of the campaign, proved sufficient to advance Man City to the Carabao Cup quarterfinals. However, Cherki ensured Swansea had no comeback opportunity with his stoppage-time finish, officially confirming the victory.

Swansea vs. Man City Halftime Stats

Swansea vs. Man City Full Time Statistics